LANGKAWI, KEDAH, 7 October 2015 – Administrators need to be aware, as well as to assume the roles of academicians to accommodate for the need to be knowledgeable in administrative operations, and in producing administrators who are versatile; similarly to the academicians who are required to have an understanding on various matters including administration, in addition to the knowledge in academics and research.

That was expressed by the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Dato' Dr. Omar Osman in delivering the keynote address and officiating the Fourth National Seminar on Academic Management of Higher Educational Institutions (Seminar Pengurusan Akademik Institut Pengajian Tinggi Peringkat Kebangsaan/SPeAK) here recently.

The Vice-Chancellor also requested for the cooperation of all administrators to assist together in driving forth the shared vision of excellence, at the same time narrowing the gaps and differences with the academicians.

The USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs) Professor Dato' Dr. Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal then said, the organisation of SPeAK 2015 this time was truly timely, with the launching of the Malaysia Education Development Plan (Higher Education) (PPPM-PT) six months earlier and with the need for such discussions to be further elaborated and implemented.

SPeAK 2015 saw the attendance of 120 administrators and academicians from 20 institutions of higher education throughout Malaysia; serving as an avenue for the sharing of knowledge, ideas and creativity in relation to the growth and development of higher education which can be practiced in the management of such institutions.

SPeAK 2015 which would run for three days beginning Wednesday, is themed “Higher Education for the Future vs The Future of Higher Education” and is organised by Bahagian Pengurusan Akademik (Academic Management Division), Registry Department USM with the cooperation of Jawatankuasa Latihan Bersama Institut Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia (Joint Training Committee for Institutes of Higher Education Malaysia/JALUMA).

Others who attended the knowledge-sharing session include a member of the USM Board of Governors, Tengku Tan Sri Dr. Mahaleel Tengku Arif, Vice-Chancellor and President of Taylor's University, Professor Dato' Dr. Hassan Said, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Professor Dato' Dr. Nor Aieni Mokhtar and Vice-Chancellor of Open University Malaysia (OUM), Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali.

 

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin